The Capital had entered winter by November.
The fog hung low in the air in the early morning, and the bare tree branches were coated in a layer of frost.
Half of the Jiang Family's servants lived in the servants' quarters behind the courtyard and, after climbing out of their warm beds reluctantly, they saw their young mistress already walking over with a red tassel spear in hand, dressed in a thin practice outfit.
A few of them were so startled they quickly tidied up and hurried off to work.
The "whoosh, whoosh, whoosh" of the spear dancing shortly echoed in the courtyard, as if vowing to break through the cold, silent dawn and welcome the new day.
Ji Yanbai was awakened by this sound and, for a moment, he thought he had forgotten to turn off the television from the previous day.
When he opened his door, he saw it was Jiang Li practicing!
